Hame-fastener



(No Model.)

0. A. SMITH. HAME FASTENER.

No. 486,903. Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER A. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAM E-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,903, dated November 29, 1892.

Application filed April 20,1892. Serial No. 429,910. (No model.)

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hame- Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvementsin hame-fasteners; and itconsists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a hame provided with my improved fastener. Fig.2 is an enlarged detail view. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section of the upper endof the fastening-lever; and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the end of the fastening-lever, looking at the inner side of the same.

The halne A is of the ordinary construction and is composed of two members, as usual, one of which is provided with a hook B and to the other one of which is pivoted the fastening-lever O. The fastening-lever carries a loop or ring D, to which a chain E is attached, said chain being adapted to be engaged over the hook B when the hame is fastened. The hame is provided with a recess F in one side, which is covered bya keeperplate G, having a slot H registering with the recess. The upper end of the fastening-1ever is reduced and the locking-hook I rests against and works-that is, slides vertically on the reduced portion, the hook being prevented from falling laterally away from the lever by studs J, which engage a central longitudinal groove K in the inner side of the lever at the upper end of the same. The locking-hook consists of a flat plate provided with a lateral hookL at its upper end adapted to pass through the slot H and drop into engagement with the lower wall of the same, thereby holding the leveragainst the hame. The movement of the locking-hook is controlled by a cam M, which works in a notch N in the plate and is pivotally mounted on the end of the lever. The cam is provided with a handle 0, which bears against the hook and thereby aids in holding it in position. The cam may be made to act on the edge of the hook; but I prefer to pass the pivot of the cam through the hook and provide the hook with an opening P to clear the said pivot.

In practice the chain E is engaged over the hook B and the lever is swung toward the hame, thereby tightening the chain and drawing the lower ends of the hame together. When the lever is swung up, the cam is turned so as to raise the locking-hook, and thereby enable it to pass through the slot H. The cam is then released and the hook drops by gravity into engagement with the plate G, thereby securely locking the hame.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that I have provided a hame-fastener which is very simple and efficient and in which the several parts cannot become detached and lost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hame-fastener of the character described, the combination, with the lever, of a sliding locking-hook mounted on the end of the lever and acam also mounted on the end of the lever and engaging the hook to actuate the same.

2. The combination, in a hame-fastener, of a lever provided with a groove in its end, a locking-hook having an internal notch and provided with studs engaging said groove, and a cam mounted on the end of the lever and engaging the notch in the hook.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W. W. DOUGLAS, J. H. WARD. 

